Activities

10 inspiring ideas for Christmas

Are you tired of the Christmas madness but not quite ready to go back to old traditions? Why not give Christmas a new life?

Cards

Send Christmas cards the old-fashioned way: by regular mail! It’s an easy way to let people know that you’re thinking about them. Finding a card in the midst of bills is sure to bring a huge smile to your loved ones’ faces. It’s simple and somewhat magical. Don’t just sign your name at the bottom; take the time to write a few personal wishes. And why not ask your little elves to create cards for an added special touch?

Lights

Christmas is a “light holiday”, so go wild if you feel like it! Hang some in the tree, in the kitchen and outside. Go for a walk every night to look at your neighbours’ lighted creations. To calm things down in the house, you could make a habit of dimming the lights, and enjoy a quiet candlelit dinner. Almost by magic, the atmosphere will be warm, friendly and relaxed.

Stars

Stars and star-shaped decoration are always popular during the holidays. Why not make it your theme this year? Following your star, is following your path. Offer gifts that will help those who receive them follow their passions. You could also decide to give your Christmas a color theme (or a mix of colors). Everything in silver, or blue and silver, or green and gold. Innovating and sharing ideas around a theme often puts us in party mode!

Calendar

Make an inspiring advent calendar with little thoughts to discover… in addition to the chocolates, of course! Or make a “Quotes jar” from which you’ll pick one every day.

Scents

When you think about your childhood Christmases, many different smells probably come to mind: the smell of wood, of your grandma’s stew, of your mother’s perfume, etc. Have fun spreading fragrances around the house during the holidays! Try boiling citrus fruit peels with a cinnamon stick and a few cloves in about 2 cups of water. You could also use scented oils to give your Christmas a little extra punch!

Photos

We experience so many magical moments during the holidays! Choose the ones that are sure to bring a little tear to your eyes (putting the star at the top of the tree, going to Santa’s parade, preparing Santa’s snack with kids, etc.) and make sure to capture these moments on film. Put these precious memories in a mini album to keep the magic alive all year long.

Wishes

Put up personal wishes in your tree this year. Create your own ritual. Once the kids are asleep, sit in front of the tree and think about a wish (I’d like to be more patient, I’d like to cook more often, I’d like to spend more time with my spouse, etc.) Write it down on a piece of paper, roll it tightly and hang it in the tree. You could also write down a quality you’d like to acquire or develop over the next 12 months.

Sing!

Even if you don’t have the best voice and always sing off-key, rediscover how fun singing Christmas songs can be! Explore hundreds of Christmas albums. There’s no need to spend a fortune. You can find dozens of CDs under $10 at Walmart and other stores, which is more than enough to put some "pep" and enthusiasm in your preparations. Music has a revitalizing effect!

Gifts

Offering gifts is great, but you still need to find a good idea. First, we must shop with pleasure. So if you're in a bad mood when shopping time comes, ask yourself the reasons for this surge of anger. Know that you don’t have to give a gift to all members of your family or ruin yourself in the process. Offer sincere gifts. If you don’t have much money to spoil your nieces and nephews, offer them a “special day” with you! You can easily spend less than if you had bought them a $25 gift, and you also get to spend more time with them. You can bake cookies or watch movies all day! And in the meantime, their parents will get a little break!

Food

Christmas rhymes with food, and lots of it! Not enough time to cook? Don’t feel like slaving in the kitchen while others are having fun? Keep it simple. Forget the turkey if it’s too much of a hassle for you. Eating well doesn’t require complex recipes. Far from it in fact! Eating well is mostly a matter of atmosphere during the meal and tasty yet simple food! Choose dishes that you can prepare carefully and lower your expectations. Christmas cooking should not be about impressing others. Always prepare the meals you love. You'll have way more fun doing it.

Image de Motherforlife.com


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